No One Asked Me But… (March 15, 2017)

No one asked me but… Clark County School District Trustee Mr. Kevin Child has called for an audit of what he thinks is the budget of the Clark County School District. He has asked for an auditor to take an in-depth look at the 2.2 billion dollars he believes is the totality of the General Operating Budget. The problem is that Trustee Child does not seem to understand that the General Operating Budget he helped approve for the school year of 2016-2017, is actually $2,592, 859,789.

When I spoke with Trustee Child, during the hearings for AB 394, he did not seem to be aware of the fact that the General Operating Budget was less than a third of the entire 2016-17 CCSD budget. The total budget that bears his name, along with all the other trustees, is for $5,237,796,765. Yes. that is a billion with a “B”. I find it interesting that Trustee Child would sign off on a budget he did not understand.

I am wondering if the superintendent will tell the board he works for the same thing he told both of the legislative committees working on the reorganization plan under AB 394? Each time the committees asked for basically the same information Trustee Child now calls for the superintendent explained that it was impossible for the superintendent to provide an accurate accounting of the money spent by CCSD due to an antiquated accounting system.

The Community Implementation Committee was appointed by the Legislative Committee to Reorganize The Clark County School District. The CIC hired a private management firm for 1.8 million dollars, to be paid for by the District, to study the District management system. This group indicated that for the superintendent to understand where the District is spending its money, our money actually, would require a new computer program that could cost between 10 and 30 million dollars.

Now I must admit that I am just a simple country boy and that may be why I find it hard to believe that a 5.2 billion dollar business that cannot produce documents showing who works in each department and how much each depart costs to operate can stay in business long. How hard would it be for the superintendent to say to each of the over twenty department heads to have a copy of their budget and a list of all their employees on his desk in three days? If a department head can not provide this information, it is time to get a new department head. If the superintendent cannot produce this information to the school board, it is time to get a new superintendent. It may be time for Trustees to stop signing off on budgets that they don’t understand.

No one asked me but… I saw an interesting map of the State of Nevada. The map was published in the November 6 edition of the Las Vegas Review Journal. The map was attached to an article discussing the fact that 85% of the State of Nevada actually belongs to the federal government. The map looked like the maps we see of the Middle East and the area controlled by IS.

Most of the State of Nevada is on the I-80 corridor with a pocket in the Las Vegas area. The only land that is governed by the State of Nevada is that which is held by cities, counties, private parties or as state parks. Approximately 15% of the State is ruled by local State officials, the rest of the State has never left territorial status. Most of Nevada is rule by the federal government under the offices of the Bureau of Land Management. We can see the results of this domination of a federal agency in the Bundy affair.

Not only does the BLM feel it does not have to comply with state law, it also does not comply with federal laws. In the Bundy affair, decision to abridge the First and Tenth amendment rights of Nevada citizens was made by a middle manager within the Bureau. The closing of the Logandale Trails and the Mormon Mesa was done by a stroke of a pen belonging to a non-elected BLM official. The skies were closed above the round-up area and the press had their access limited. There was no court action approving these violations of freedom of the press.

Those people who argue for the need for federal control of Nevada lands apparently believe the people of Nevada are not smart enough to run their own state. They believe it is better to let someone from Washington, D.C., mine, sell, and rent out the land to the benefit of the federal government at the expense of the people of the State of Nevada. They remind one of the millennials who refuse to move out of their parent’s basement because momma knows best.

It may be time for the people of the State of Nevada to step up and take responsibility for the state. When lands are sold, mined, or rented, the money could go in the coffers of the State rather than the federal government.

No one asked me but… The old Las Vegas High School is in danger of being torn down. This would be a tragedy. This is a historic landmark much like the old Las Vegas Post office which has been turned into the Mob Museum. The Clark County School District has indicated that they feel it will be too expensive to renovate the structure and plan to replace it with a new school. A new high school in Clark County now costs between 80 and 100 million dollars. It is hard to believe that it would cost more than that to remodel this historic treasure.

So what is the connection to our valley and why should we be concerned? Mr. Bob Stoldal, a 1958 graduate of LVHS, is championing the cause for restoration as versus demolition. Mr. Stoldal served on the Historic Preservation Commission and was instrumental in making funds available for the restoration of the Logandale School, the Overton Gym, and the Overton Hospital. We owe Bob a great debt of gratitude. Each time our efforts seemed to stall, he came to our defense and we should find a way to support his efforts now.

Thought of the week…“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.” – Sigmund Freud

Comments

Nevada has grown leaps and bounds in the last half century, but it appears that the commitment and responsibility of being a good citizen has not grown in equal measure. Local media has been responsible in keeping folks aware of what is going on, but has done so on tippy toes, avoiding controversies, riling up folks, or crushing the sensibilities of those require the guard of the politically correct police 24/7 . All the bureaucrats in Washington, DC see, is Nevada’s dollars coming to them. Not much returns to Nevada. In the meantime, our rights and liberties have been systematically chipped away by government with little to no resistance from us. Reminds me of a saying by Peter Marshall: If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.

It is no wonder the recent REorganization Plan was pushed through so rapidly in Carson City by Lawmakers and now the nation’s fifth largest district can more than ever justifiably point fingers of blame due to the massive number of schools/new “precincts” in the organization to compound the confusion. Even though it is “REorganized,” know that those who had the power still do so now. Not much changed.

Some of us old timers have a hard time with others wanting to destroy landmarks. Many of us think of Biblical references about removing landmarks and shutter. Many people, young and older, now learn about local history by visiting such landmarks that have been carefully preserved and opened to the public to enjoy. Even though Las Vegas has a long history of imploding historic buildings in the name of progress, the old Las Vegas High School could be saved and be utilized as part museum of local culture and part social hall for events in the community, and therefore pay for its own upkeep while providing a service to the community. It could also be a place where students clock in community service hours as volunteers or guides. The Old Las Vegas High School pays tribute to the families here in Las Vegas that historically been the back bone that carried Las Vegas to the present age, its heights, and its glory as a world destination.

Thank you, Dr. Larry Moses, for your sensible commentary. It has been a breath of fresh air to read. Truly appreciate your views.